Tag Archive: DIY
November 7, 2019
by Carole Zangari -
Have you looked at the retail prices for switch-adapted toys lately? And have you noticed that the selection is fairly limited? Just in time for the holiday season, we’re pleased to introduce our youngest guest author to date, Michael Dicpinigaitis, who is stopping by to help us figure out a more affordable alternative. Michael used his interest in technology to learn how to adapt toys and create switches with the help of a 3-D printer. Learn about his organization, Jericho Adapts Toys, and peruse the resources he shares. If you’re a do-it-yourselfer or know someone who is, this post is for you. Kudos to the entire team at Jericho Adapts Toys: Michael Dicpinigaitis, Eric Li, Jai Joshi, Corinne Dicpinigaitis, and Sohil Dharia. Enjoy! ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: JerichoAdaptsToys.org was a vision that became a reality. The vision was to provide children with significant motor impairments the ability to independently play, have control of their environment, and learn important... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: adapted toys, DIY, play
May 23, 2019
by Carole Zangari -
Looking for a fun way to integrate more emergent literacy into your AAC work? You’re in the right place! Today, SLPs Maggie Judson and Jeanna Antrim share one of their many ideas for engaging therapy sessions. Maggie and Jeanna who work in the Assistive Technology Department for the Belleville Area Special Services Cooperative (BASSC) in southern Illinois. They are AT/AAC facilitators and provide evaluations, direct therapy, consultations, and trainings with school teams. You can see a previous guest post that Jeanna wrote here. Let’s hear how they make and use squishy books in their therapy sessions. ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: AAC, Literacy and Squishy Books If you’ve done any reading or research around the topic of AAC and literacy, you know that students with complex communication needs do not typically get the same kinds of experiences with literacy activities as do their peers (Light & Kent-Walsh, 2003). So we are always on the... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: beginnin communicator, Books, DIY, emergent literacy, reading
April 17, 2017
by Carole Zangari -
We’ve been writing about the Makers Movement for awhile, and couldn’t be happier with the way that the AT community has embraced it. When we posted a video about one of their DIY switch mount projects a few months ago, we were impressed by the number of you who asked for more. In today’s post, we dig deeper into this area by highlighting the AT Makers site. The AT Makers site aims to be a meeting place for AT specialists, Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) and Robotics Clubs/Teams, and engineers. Here are the highlights: Glossary: DIY AT projects sometimes involve people from various backgrounds working together to solve problems. This handy glossary helps us speak the same language. Tutorials: The site currently has project plans, supply lists, videos, and directions for AT-related projects that it offers to the global community. For now, there are just a handful of projects... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: AT, DIY
March 22, 2017
by Carole Zangari -
Looking for a core+fringe AAC display that is easy to make and not overwhelming to use? This post may have just what you need. It’s great to see the variety of ways in which professionals are embracing AAC options and using what they know to teach others. In today’s post, we feature a video by the Louisiana South/Central Regional AT Center in which they take us through the step-by-step process of making a versatile AAC support that can be a wonderful starting point for some of our learners. In addition to the video, this generous team shares their files so you can make one of your own (click here to download; you can get the SymbolStix version here) and even share the source for the vinyl pockets they use. Pretty prAACtical! Thanks, Louisiana South/Central Regional AT Center, for your collegiality in sharing this with all of us!
Filed under: Video of the Week
Tagged With: communication book, core, DIY
February 6, 2017
by Carole Zangari -
If you haven’t been following the AT Makers movement, you might want to check out the wonderful projects and activities of this group. In this post, founder Bill Binko shows us how to use 3-D printing to adapt camera mounts for switches to make an affordable solution for those with access difficulties. Wait, what? You don’t have a 3-D printer? We love Bill’s suggestion of collaborating with robotics clubs and STEM groups at local high schools, scouting organizations, or community agencies who have the skills and equipment to make this happen. They are usually quite receptive to projects that help others. The design for this adaptation is shared freely with a Creative Commons/Attribution/Share license, making it a great project for students, church groups, scouts, and others. If you give this a try, be sure to go to their Facebook page to share your project. Tag us so we can see what... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: access, assistive technology, DIY, makers, mounting, switch
August 1, 2016
by Carole Zangari -
A few years ago, I ran across someone who had difficulty getting the school staff to scan documents for an AAC learner who needed them to be in electronic format for accessibility purposes. The problem ultimately got solved when we helped the student program in two prestored messages to her SGD. The first was a politely-worded attempt at self advocacy: “Can you please scan this for me?” It usually worked, but when it didn’t, the student was able to follow-up with a second message. “It’s in my IEP.” The image of this young lady advocating for her needs still makes me smile. So when I ran across an adaptation that makes document scanners switch-accessible, I knew I had to share the Instructable with you. Kudos to Irete Hamdani and her colleagues for this wonderful modification.
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: DIY
November 3, 2015
by Carole Zangari -
Walk into almost any program that has been serving people with AAC needs for awhile, and chances are that they have a box or cupboard with AT that is a little past its prime. Among all those treasures, you’ll probably find a few talking switches or single message voice output devices that no longer work like they used to. These little workhorses are too valuable to toss without at least trying to repair them. Many thanks to David Selover, AT Coordinator of the TRAID/Project Adapt Library, for the wonderful guide to repairing these beauties. http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-repair-a-Big-Mack-AAC-device-and-upgrade-/
Filed under: PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: DIY, low tech, single message voice output device, talking switch
March 19, 2015
by Carole Zangari -
The other day, I was boxing up a mounting system to send to a friend and started to wonder if the cost of shipping might exceed the value of the equipment. A quick internet search put THAT to an end. (Those things are pricey!) So when I came across this do-it-yourself mounting board for a walker, it was too good not to share. Thanks to the AAC Institute for this helpful guide.
Filed under: PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: AAC Institute, DIY, mounting
January 22, 2015
by Carole Zangari -
This gem of a book from the ATEN Coordinating Unit at Orange County Schools is an oldie, but a goodie! PVC: Practical, Versatile, Cheap AT Supports contains easy-to-follow directions for switch stands, tilting eye gaze frames, mobile floor stands, and much more.
Filed under: PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: ATEN, DIY, Orange County, PVC
December 5, 2014
by Carole Zangari -
Ever wish there was a way to make the iPad flush with the work surface? The team at the Assistive Technology in New Hampshire Project shows us how.
Filed under: PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: access, assistive technology, AT in NH, DIY, mounting